Parakeet with wounded foot/leg

HI. Our parakeet is between 5 and 8 years old. Between wing clippings she got startled and flew to the window sill but then fell to the floor (6 weeks ago). Her wings were not hurt (checked by a friend who is a more experienced bird owner) but one of her feet doesn't seem to work right anymore. Our friend clipped her nails also, as she was having trouble letting go and would get them caught in the carpet when let on the floor. She seemed to get her foot caught on the wires of her cage and used her beak a lot to help her get around her cage, but looked unsteady on her perches.

Now it has gotten so bad that she can no longer hold on to her perch (she actually fell off of it last night - small cage, and she flapped furiously, but could not stay up). She hangs out at the bottom of her cage, makes sad little noises (no longer chirps), shakes a lot and wobbles and limps. She hasn't gone to her cuttle bone so we give her soft millet cuz she hasn't gone to her regular food mix (maybe cuz she can't break open the shells w/o a sharper beak?). She barely lifts her head enough to get to her water trough and food bowl we put on the floor of her cage.

Our friend said that maybe she's just old and beginning to go. I still think there must be SOMETHING we can do, but we do not have extra money to go to a vet. Can you please help?

Sounds like there may be something neurological going on.....when she flew to the windowsill, did she hit the window?

I don't know how large her cage is but you could get a bird ladder & construct some sort of platform for her to lay/perch on...it should be designed so that she can reach her food & water.....

With neurological problems, you never know if it will clear up or not, so a vet visit would be wise, if only to be sure there isn't something else going on.....

Good luck.....

Honestly, and I'm no vet... that doesn't sound like anything to do with a wounded foot. Sounds like a very sick bird to me; no balance, extreme weakness, loss of normal activity/poor appetite.

5 years old, really, isn't that old... budgies can live 10-15 years, but poor care in capativity does shorten their average lifespan.

It's really impossible to say what could be causing the symptoms you've described, and taking your bird to the vet is the best course of action.

I strongly agree with trying to get your little friend to an Avian Vet ASAP.

Best of luck, and I truly hope for a happy ending.

brain damage ? could effect the balancing. take her to the vet, theyll do some tests.

My bourke parakeet (which is about the size of a budgie) is between 16 and 18 years old. Besides weight loss and not being quite as active as she used to be (which came with age), she is acting fine. She perches, she flies, she eats, etc. Two years ago, she went through surgery to try and remove cancer from her right foot (unsuccessful). She is now having sinus problems (recent development - she does not like treatment!), but is not sick.


To give you an idea of size....






Expected lifespan of a bourke parakeet is 11-15 years.




Sorry, but you need to take your budgie to an avian vet! As stated, 5 or 8 years old is not old! It's not old as long as she has healthy genetics and a good diet! She's sick (or has suffered damage from her flight) and she needs to go to an a-vet now!